1.Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination
2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º

On the McCann Lawyers

Isabel Duarte, the new McCanns lawyer, justified today the presence of the McCann couple at the second hearing [the first took place on the 4th of December] in the Civil Court of Lisbon regarding the temporary injunction that banned the book 'Maddie, The Truth of The Lie', stating that she needed 'psychological help'.

«I asked for their support. I need support because I am doing what 90% of the people don't believe in and their presence gives me strength.», said Isabel Duarte.

You Might Also Like

67 comments:

This case becomes more bizarre by the day. Isabel Duarte asking for support from 2 people SHE believes are the victims of the abduction of their child. If she really believed this,how could she subject them to pressure like this?

I mean, she is not paid to say that she is so unsure of herself defending the McCanns that she needs the reassurance of their presence, is she? :))

Maybe she shouldn't have taken the case in the first place?Or maybe she shouldn't have followed their commands to request draconian and unfair measures against Goncalo Amaral and indeed AGAINST FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN HER OWN COUNTRY?

«I asked for their support. I need support because I am doing what 90% of the people don't believe in and their presence gives me strength.», said Isabel Duarte.

What an odd thing to say. So she is doing something ie maintaining the injunction ( anti-free speech ) because the duo want it but she herself is not happy or 90% of people? Have I got that right? So it goes against the grain does it Ms Duarte? Their presence if anything is overkill because it brings back into focus all the deceit and lies, spin and non-cooperation. They look like 2 elephants in the corner, trying too hard after 2 years to convince everybody they know nothing. 7 Police Officers( or so, maybe a forsensic guy in there as well) are to testify in support of Amaral. I know who I would believe. No wonder Duarte appears to have her doubts.

I don't know much about the woman but I don't get the impression, from what she says, that she is very confident about the matter she has taken on. If 90% of the people don't believe in what she is doing and she needs the "support" of the McCanns including an appearance by them, I truly believe Mr. Amaral will win.

If she isn't getting the support of 90% of the people why is she going ahead with this then? What does she think will happen if she wins this libel case? I doubt if the Portuguese are going to through themselves at her feet in repentance. If anything, it could get a hell of a lot worse for her. She cannot be blaming Amaral for the rejection of 90% of the people surely?

Isabel,PLEASE get out as soon as you possibly can before it is too late!Might be too late though but to your relief they might even sack you.On second thought they could take you to court for saying "I asked for their support because I am doing what 99% of people do not believe in...." :-o gee! man! that a bit of an extremely clear statement,isnt it Isabel? You do not even think anymore they are that innocent,dont you? Did you listen to your conscience all of a sudden? Did you realize your were helping a couple of imperialists,planting the seeds of dictature again? in YOUR very own country? against one of YOUR families? Against one of YOUR men?Isabel,you do not need psychological help: you need out. Força Isabel! Força para a Jutiçia e a Verdade! This why you chose to become a lawyer and this is what you have learnt.

Is she worried she may not be doing 'the right thing'? I've never heard of a legal rep feeling the need for psychological help!

So Kate and Gerry McCann flew in to Portugal to support their lawyer: she 'needs' them. Madeleine is said to be lying in a lair for maybe the last 2+ years nowhere else but 10 miles or so from Praia da Luz...also in Portugal. I'm sure Madeleine needs them to fly in to 'support' her too.

I heard just now at RTP news, the report from Sandra Felgueiras about that case. The way she present the report shows that she is at Mccann's side. Always giving a negative image of G. amaral and a postive image from the mccann's. BECAUSE, her salary and RTP in general is paid by public taxes, it is time to keep that journalist aside from that case because she is not independent to present news related to that issue. SHE HIGHLIGHT too much that G. Amaral did not look at mccann's eyes , but the mccann's look at him, and reinforce the idea that only 2 witnesses atended the audience. THERE IS A MESSAGE BEHIND THAT WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FROM A PUBLIC TV. I HOPE Amaral supporters increase a lot for the next round in january. Joana, use local newspaper to reach the public and get the project being known by more people. Little people in Portugal were aware of the project today. Try to reach also the international community where there is a lot of portuguese emigrants which are at amaral side by don't know how to support him. Maybe sending some messages to portuguese associations around the world and ask them to stand in front of Portugal embassys, in January, will help spreading the message. The Mccann's came in grieving for Madeleine. They know she never will come back.

That makes it hard to fathom who's the more desperate. The McCanns or their libel lawyer?! If Isabel Duarte is looking for any kind of support from the McCanns, it will be psycho sypport (that's not an abbreviation, btw).

Le monde renversé!A lawyer who needs her clients to help her psychologically to do a job she is (very good ) paid for, just because she fears that she will be unpopular by defending them!?Either she is mad ( another one in the Mccann vicinity) or she is lying to give an excuse for the McCann's travel in Portugal.So unbelievable.Frencheuropean

It's interesting that Isabel Duarte needs support. Is she not uplifted by the righteousness of her clients' cause? Obviously not. She is losing her belief in what she is doing because 90% of the people do not believe in what she is doing. She has doubts, perhaps she knows what she is doing is wrong.

Did I get the statement by Isabel Duarte correctly? "I need support because I am doing what 90 percent of the people do not believe in and their presence gives me strength"? This cannot be true! Yes, 90 percent of the people do NOT believe in the lies of the McCanns and their mouthpiece Mitchell and obviously mentally retarded retired police officers from the UK on their payroll, no matter what former rank they may have occupied. Therefore, they cannot believe in the manipulation of the law committed by attorney Isabel Duarte and conformed by a very, very strange court ruling, by an injunction issued by an even more questionable and strange Portuguese judge, who claims having read the PJ files and Amaral´s book and most certsainly has not. Because only an insane or totally corrupt person can come to the conclusion to support Plaintiff McCanns by the injunction in question against Gonçalo Amaral. What these same 90 percent of the people DO believe in is their right of freedom of speech as guaranteed according to Art. 37 of the Portuguese constitution. This is what the Portuguese people fought for and their efforts culminated on April 25, 1974. They fought for their basic rights and to get rid of judges and lawyers of that kind involved with the McCanns and on their payroll. It is also a question of morals and ethics and those people lack both.

this is not easy for Isabel Duarte.in criminal cases, the lawyer is the one who comforts the client, not the other way around.7 excellent witnesses would have been too much for anyone.and where did that Rogerio Alves go to?Any news about Clarence?

My goodness, was she afraid of a public lynching? Humm, so she's not as though as she makes believe...despite her tetric looks( mind you, she wouldn't be out of place in a movie as a nazy officer or as a vampire)! In one of those videos in front of the court house she quickly hides away from the cameras when she realizes she's being filmed! She does not want to have her face splashed all over the media, it makes her easily recognizable by the portuguese people...just imagine her at a shopping center, at the supermarket or any public place and people starting shouting abuse at her or worse! I bet she will soon be bitterly regreting the day she took on the McCanns as her clients!

Perhaps she didn't consider the rammifications of trying to take away freedom of speech in a country where it had only recently been won. She must have fallen under the Carter Ruck spell and forgot the implications of silencing people and banning books. She is reaping what she sowed and perhaps should be added to the long list of people destroyed by the McCann association.

The lawyer, Isabel Duarte requires the support of Kate McCann, a "broken woman" to give her, Duarte, the STRENGTH to attend Court to represent this broken woman, and her husband Gerry McCann in a libel action against Goncalo Amaral.

Quite astonishing!

What happens at the next hearing, if the broken woman doesn't attend?

Does Duarte herself fall to pieces, break down through lack of strength, and become unable to continue in her role as the McCann legal representative in this action? Two broken women!

I thought I read somewhere that Duarte was the 'best there is' in Portugal, in this particular area of law?

A lawyer who shows weakness, publicly stating this to the media, is a lawyer you do not want representing you.

Who amongst us would not be angry, anxious about the outcome of the action, and immediately relieve our lawyer of her services, if she called and said: 'I do not have the strength on my own to attend Court'

If Duarte is not 'up to the job' then Fund monies are again being wasted - on Duarte's fees. A lawyer who needs to use her clients as a PROP, to give her STRENGTH, has most definitely chosen the wrong career path.

To me, Duarte did not look troubled at all. She is no spring chicken either, so I doubt she got to where she is today, earned her reputation as the 'best' over the long years in law, by needing to be propped up in court by her Clients!

I think we can safely say that this is Clarence at work - a bit of spin!

It is the pantomime season, we cannot expect anything less I don't suppose than having them act out another silly drama.

What a hopeless situation, Isabel Duarte! 90% of us don't believe that couple's version. You are implying that you too don't believe but you have to do your job. What a mess! But is it any wonder that 90% of people don't believe them. It starts to be fastidious to remember that it takes only the reading of the files to find out the lies they have been feeding us over and over again...

And, according to today's Correio da Manhã, the McCanns did enter the Palacio da Justica through the back door, fearing the demonstrators waiting for them. In the end they turned out to be a friendly bunch just wanting to give them flowers (red carnations, of course). Naturally they didn't want to hear the calls in support of GA. Their egos couldn't stand it.

Given the fact that the McCanns were briefing the media for two weeks beforehand with the lie that they were travelling to Portugal to "Launch their action against Amaral" - at a hearing where they were never going to testify - Isabel Duarte's justification of their presence in Portugal looks more than a little circumspect.

The reality is that the McCanns walked into a trap and Isabel Duarte was obviously roped in to help their face-saving exercise by taking responsibility for them being there, but it was too little and too late.

Isabel Duarte has now sold her objectivity as a lawyer and allowed herself to be used as part of the McCann propaganda machine. So, what's new? This is how this evil couple use everyone if they let them. Isabel Duarte will be permanently damaged by her association with the McCanns. She has made a potentially fatal error of judgement.

Interesting statement from their lawyer. "Doing what 90% of the people don't believe in." I assume she's referring to Portugal only as there seems to be a higher percentage of people in the UK still believing the McCann party line.

This is the beginning of the end for the mccanns ....at last i can see justice is on its way!Did anybody notice Isabel...sneak off when the Mccanns where been heckled.I would say that is a poor reaction from there defence lawyer!.....it would not surprise me if she is changed before the next hearing.The other thing i noticed was the lack of support around the Mccanns, it seems all the so called supporters are scuttling away under stones.For the time been they can get their respite under them, but they will be upturned in the future and there parts in this charade exposed.One of the sickest biggest scandals of modern times, and there will be lists of people from all professions, walks of life involved.Nobody in this case should be allowed to fade away into the background for the upset and stress they have caused the Amaral Family.If i were an active mccann supporter who has helped sustain such a terrible lie ............i would be worried sick right now!

The stress they have wrongly loaded onto an innocent man and his family, is now to be reversed on those people!

It is not over yet..be prepared for a church service tomorrow put on by their friends the Hubbards.Susan Hubbard who made her distressed child act as Madeleine in the version of Mccanns abduction..The child was afraid but did Susan Hubbard care?.. I hope there are some plain clothes PJ in PDL watching every move the Mccanns make.

Well done to all those who were there in Support I am proud of everyone of you.

Shubob: "For a lawyer to come out and say this about their clients, it's mind-boggling! How will Clarence Mitchell spin this? Is Isabel Duarte now responsible for the spinning?"

I'm not a lawyer or a spin master, but even I can spin Mrs. Duarte's remarks. Let me pretend I'm Clarence Mitchell:

Reporter: Mr. Mitchell, Mrs Duarte said that she needs the psychological support of Kate and Gerry since 90% of the people don't believe in what she's doing. That doesn't sound like a very confident lawyer.

Mitchell: Mr. Amaral's book has poisoned the minds of the Portuguese people and it is for this very reason that the people in Portugal are no longer looking for Madeleine. Mrs. Duarte was just alluding to the difficult task ahead of her but she is fully confident that justice will prevail.

"Spin Master" isn't that a brand of washing machine?

I'm not sure if Mrs. Duarte's remark is some kind of ploy or perhaps she, like some politicians in Portugal, is indeed feeling the pressure. The holes in the dyke of corruption are becoming numerous and eventually it will burst.

Isabel Duarte IS a "JUDAH" OF HER OWN COUNTRY. SHE DEFINITELY HAS READ EVERYTHING POSSIBLE ABOUT THE CASE. SO SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS "CAREFUL PARENTS". SHE JUST SOLD HER SOLE FOR THE MONEY! FOR 30 SILVER MONET!( OR MAY BE MORE...)

I can't believe that Duarte is insane. The only reasonable explanation is that she is allowing herself to be used as part of the propaganda machine, which is shameful behaviour for a lawyer. Her comments are designed to show that Amaral's opinions have poisoned the Portuguese against the McCanns.

The Portuguese judiciary have already shown, through their archiving of the case, that they are susceptible to this kind of pressure. She knows exactly what she is doing, although I was quite disgusted at her slinking away from the cameras, when the hecklers could be heard in the background.

I think possibly Isabel Duarte having seen the power of the Mccanns in England thought she could pull this off..She looks of an age where she needs to retire..she possibly thought that she will make a lot of money if she wins the case for the Mccanns and also become very famous...we saw a very shifty Isabel disappear the moment the Mccanns opened their mouths and the heckling began..

GA has said that his book is based on the Investigation...I hope that means that the files must be read out in court to prove his point...Reporters will be in court they will have to respond...I do not think this time if this should be the case...Carter Ruck can stop this case being reported in the Britidh Press.

Johnny Cochran (not sure of the spelling) OJ Simpsons lawyer thought the same...well yes, he became very famous for only a short period of time...He died...

Joana, do you remember when it was announced that the McCanns would go back to Praia da Luz?After they asked the CEOP for a new appeal, and it seems it was last September?They knew already what would be its contents or did they know FBI was searching for Halley?They could have visited Luz last September but they didn't.IMO, they have to talk about something with somebody in Luz, something they can't say through the telephone, by email or any mail.

Guerra @ 46 agreed. I also think she is representing them as underdogs, showing what they're up against. She's clearly not stupid. Allowing for the possible nuances in translation, I read it that she needed solidarity in the face of the overwhelming majority not supporting them.

You've taken that further and put it very well. Food for thought indeed.

AH! AH! Anon.50 you are confused... The mccann;s don't need Lawyer, they need Lawyer's. A lot of them. Why? this is the point! BILL GATES WITH HIS MICROSOFT BUSINNESS AROUND THE WORLD, HAVE LESS LAWYERS.

COCA-COLA and MCDONALD'S ARE FARWAY FROM THE MCCANN'S ON THAT CHAMPIONSHIP. THEY ARE THE BEST, THE TOP, AT THE GUINNESS BOOK.

LOL! The McC's were there to psychologically support their lawyer! She needed them there! Where were they for their vulnerable child (who mysteriously disappeared) when she and her sibling cried? Their children cried alone in a flat whilst they supped and ate at a Bar! What psychlogical support did they give their child when they consciously chose to leave her and her siblings again? Even when the now disappeared child asked "Where were you when S and I cried?" Perhaps I D will be issued with a Cuddle Cat prop to provide psychological support (cos I don't think they will be there in Jan 2010) she can squeeze it whilst in court in Jan 2010. M3 sung the praises of the CC's they were given. They told the world they were issued with CC's to squeeze when the going got tough.

When I watched the video of the McC's speaking outside the court I did not know who the lady that turned around and walked away was. I thought it was someone gathered round in the crowd to listen to the waffle and then decided to turned heel and walked away in disgust due to what she was hearing. I was gobsmacked when I read on and discovered it was their Portuguese lawyer! Their lawyer walks away when her clients are speaking publicly! Now I am sure I have read that Dr G A could not get a British lawyer to defend him for libel. So why have you done this I D? Looks like you will be another to suffer the blight of the McCurse. However by this action happening it now means that G A can counter sue in Portugal. I believe not just Civil but Criminal! Therefore it just goes to show the McC's are not untouchable. Imo their arrogance and greed have enabled G A to actually sue them! He can do it in his own country now! Yesterday imo resurfaced everything the McC's are trying to quash, more people will be questioning their motives. The suspicion has been aroused big time! Hmm I think I hear a file being opened in the future.

This has to be something never seen or heard before. What kind of lawyer has to go to her clients for support? Isn't it the other way around? Oh and Isabel Duarte can bet that it's more than 90% that are against what she's doing. And not because of Mr Amaral but because Portuguese citizens do not allow anyone to tell them what they can and can't read. Portuguese citizens have died so we can read whatever we want. Is that clear, Miss Isabel Duarte?

Dear me, Isabel looks a bit glum in that photo. As well she might, probably having just realised what she has done in taking on this ghastly pair as her clients. Betraying your country for money, and not just any old money, but money that has been conned out of gullible people and children who believe what the super-injuncted British press feed them. I wouldn't like to be in her situation, and I would suggest to her that she gets out of it as soon as she can.